HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — The Kia Countdown to Tip Off clock says we have 35 days until the start of the NBA regular season. But for those of us that cannot wait until then, the start of training camp provides the ultimate fix.

And we’re just days away from the first official day of camp for some teams. You’ll get what you need by the weekend in places like Houston, Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Denver and Los Angeles.

We’re going to find out if LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat are fully prepared for the challenge that is trying to three-peat.

We’ll see if Dwight Howard and the young group of stars in Houston are the perfect fit the big fella (and the Rockets’ brass) believed them to be in free agency.

We’ll see exactly where stars like Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo and others are in their respective rehabilitation processes from injuries that wiped out some, and in Rose’s case the entire, 2012-13 season.

We’ll find out just how good the fit is for new coaches — Doc Rivers gets his fresh start in Los Angeles with the Clippers, Brian Shaw in Denver with the Nuggets, Brad Stevens in Boston with the Celtics and Jason Kidd takes the reigns in Brooklyn with the Nets, just to name a few — around the league.

The answers to all of those questions and plenty more is all just days away …

Keep an eye on: For the sake of youngsters Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller, the Steve Clifford era has to be better than the brief Mike Dunlap experience.

CHICAGO BULLS

Sept. 28 — the Berto Center (Deerfield, Ill.)

Keep an eye on: All eyes will be on Rose, as they should be. The Bulls’ fate this season rests on his triumphant return from the knee injury that cost him the entire 2012-13 season.

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CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Oct. 1 — the Cleveland Clinic Courts (Independence, Ohio)

Keep an eye on: No one has seen free-agent big man Andrew Bynum or No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett in live action all summer, so camp will give us our first glimpse of the Cavaliers’ two biggest offseason additions. You better believe All-Star Kyrie Irving will be watching them both closely.

Keep an eye on:Paul George‘s contract extension should be finalized by the start of camp, but it’s Danny Granger who will draw the attention. If he’s healthy and in the right frame of mind, the Pacers will challenge the Heat for the top spot in the East.

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MIAMI HEAT

Oct. 1 — In the Bahamas

Keep an eye on: The Heat have hit repeatedly on offseason acquisitions and Greg Oden could be the latest on that hit list. He has the luxury of coming along at his own pace with the two-time defending champs, who would have begun this season at the top of the heap with or without him on the roster.

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MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Oct. 1 — Bucks Training Facility (St. Francis, Wisc.)

Keep an eye on: All of the new faces, from coach Larry Drew to the new backcourt of O.J. Mayo and Brandon Knight. The Bucks were aggressive in an effort to revamp the roster for the long-term good of the franchise. How that works this season, though, remains to be seen.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Oct. 1 — MSG Training Center (Greenburgh, N.Y.)

Keep an eye on: The pressure is on both Carmelo Anthony and Knicks coach Mike Woodson to get this team back to where they were last season, before that playoff fizzle, which is among the elite in the Eastern Conference. The rest of the pack is closing in, too, making that task even more difficult.

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ORLANDO MAGIC

Oct. 1 — Amway Center Magic Practice Court (Orlando)

Keep an eye on: Rookie Victor Oladipo will not be eased into his starting role for a franchise in need of a new face (you might remember the old one … he’s in Houston now). He starred during Orlando Summer League play and enters the season as a Rookie of the Year favorite.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Sept. 28 — St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia)

Keep an eye on: The last team to fill its coaching vacancy, the Sixers kept everyone wondering about the direction of the franchise after Doug Collins stepped aside and they traded their best player (Jrue Holiday) to the New Orleans Pelicans. New coach Brett Brownhas his work cut out for him.

Keep an eye on:John Wall remains the Wizards’ main attraction, the max-extension he signed this summer only intensifies the spotlight on the player and point guard expected to lead the franchise out of the lottery woods and back into the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference. The talent, drive and work ethic are in place. The supporting cast, though, is still a work in progress.

Keep an eye on: The Rockets’ trip to the Philippines for the NBA’s Global Games should provide lots of bonding time for Dwight Howard, James Harden, Jeremy Lin and the crew. They won’t have the luxury of time get things together … you never do playing the role of an instant contender.

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LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Sept. 29 — UC San Diego’s RIMAC Arena (La Jolla, Calif.)

Keep an eye on:Doc Riversis the new center of attention for the Clippers, who had arguably the best offseason of any team in the league. The personnel (headlined by All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin) is in place for the Clippers to be a serious contender for years to come.

Keep an eye on: With Lionel Hollins gone and replaced by Dave Joerger, the Grizzlies will have to sort out an identity crisis internally. The grit and grind mantra remains but the man who implemented that mindset is no longer around to tend to it.

Keep an eye on: You remember Kevin Love, don’t you? He would be the All-Star big man whose 2013-13 season was curtailed by injury. He leads an ambitious group that has designs on a playoff berth, provided they stay healthy enough to chase the postseason crowd in an extremely deep Western Conference.

Keep an eye on: This is another team with a new coach in the crosshairs.Jeff Hornacek has plenty of experience as a player and coach that will come in handy as the Suns continue to try to rebuild their program. Figuring out the Eric Bledsoe–Goran Dragic point guard dynamic should prove to be Hornacek’s biggest training camp challenge.

Keep an eye on: The Kings are set to make DeMarcus Cousins a wealthy man with a near-max contract extension. It’ll be up to Cousins to make the Kings (and new part owner Shaquille O’Neal) look good for doing so by shedding the foolishness that has accompanied his game and become the consistent and dominant force his talent indicates he could and should be.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Sept. 30 — the United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colo.)